Qin Haodong was afraid that the old lady would be worried about them. He said, “Grandma, you don’t have to worry about it. grandpa’s clinic is too broken. In a few days, we’ll build a new and bigger one.”
Li Shulan also said, “Yes, Mom. It’s rare that Little Dong has come back. Don’t worry about that. Let’s go to the courtyard and talk.”
“OK. I don’t care about that. Just leave it to your father. Let’s talk in the courtyard.”
Then Zuo Lanzhi took Qin Haodong’s hand and crossed the clinic to the back yard. She sat down in a bamboo chair and let Qin Haodong sit by her side.
The old lady had two grandsons, but because the two daughters-in-law were tart and mean, the two grandsons were not close to her since childhood. They could not see each other once a year. Even when they came, they were here to ask the old lady for money. In contrast, Zuo Lanzhi loved Qin Haodong, who grew up beside her when he was a child and was clever and sensible. Thus she was nicer to him than her grandsons.
Qin Haodong was very close to the old lady. He took Zuo Lanzhi’s hand and said, “Grandma, where did you go just now? Why didn’t I see you?”
Zuo Lanzhi said, “What else can I do? I mobilized my old sisters to help me find a wife for you. Our efforts of this afternoon were not in vain. I have arranged for you three girls tomorrow. Go with me tomorrow morning.”
When the old lady said that, Wang Rubing giggled and covered her mouth by her hand. Qin Haodong, with a bitter face, said, “What? Blind date? Grandma, I haven’t graduated from college yet. Why are you in such a hurry?”
“Aren’t you going to graduate in another year? It’s a good thing to settle down your relationship now, and you can get married as soon as you graduate in the next year. Now men are more than women in China. You should get married as soon as soon as possible. Besides, grandma is looking forward to having a great-grandson.
Qin Haodong felt awkward and said, “Grandma, it’s not urgent to engage in an affair. In this day and age, blind date is outdated.”
“Why not hurry? You have to listen to grandma.” Zuo Lanzhi said, “Little Dong, since your grandfather brought you back to our Li family, we have to take you as our grandson. If your biological parents come one day, it’s fair enough for me and your grandpa that we have married you a wife.”
“Grandma…” Qin Haodong had nothing to say for a while, but his heart was greatly moved.
Li Shulan said beside her, “Grandma heard that you are coming back today, and immediately went out to look for wife for you. It seems that you have to meet them.”
Qin Haodong had no choice but to say, “Grandma, to tell you the truth, I already have a girlfriend, so there is no need to have a blind date.”
“Kid, do you want to deceive your grandma? Don’t think I am old and easy to fool. If you really have a girlfriend, why didn’t you say that before? As I let you go no a blind date, you say you have a girlfriend. Unless you bring her here now, or you’ll have to go on the blind date tomorrow morning.”
“Grandma, what I said is true. I’ll call her now and let you talk to her.”
The old lady excitedly said, “Really? You really have a girlfriend? Call her quickly. I’ll have a good chat with my granddaughter-in-law.”
In order not to go on a blind date, Qin Haodong had to dial Lin Momo’s phone number. Unexpectedly, he was informed that the phone was off.
“Well…” Qin Haodong could not help it. He knew that Lin Momo always shut down the phone when she was at a meeting. It seemed that she was at a meeting now.
“Little Dong, didn’t you call her?” Zuo Lanzhi expectantly asked.
“Grandma, she’s phone is off. Maybe she is busy now. Shall we call again tomorrow?”
“Kid, you lied to me again. It could not be a coincidence.” Seeing that she couldn’t speak to her granddaughter-in-law, the old lady immediately changed her expression. “You’ll go on a blind date in the morning tomorrow. Don’t try to fool me anymore.”
Li Shulan laughed, “Little Dong, it seems that you can’t escape from the blind date, but it’s also good for you. Maybe you will meet a girl you like.”
“Uh…” Qin Haodong felt awkward and he never thought about that one day he would have a blind date.
At this time, footsteps came from the outside door, and four people came in succession. When Zuo Lanzhi turned her head and saw them, the smile on her face disappeared instantly.
It was two middle-aged couples, the former were Li Cheng, Li Qingshan’s eldest son, and Zhang Feng, his daughter-in-law. The latter were Li Cai, his second son, and Zhao Haili, his second daughter-in-law.
Li Qingshan and his wife had two sons and one daughter. Their youngest daughter, Li Shulan, was very filial. She often visited the two old people on weekdays. But the two sons could only meet once in the Spring Festival of New Year. Every time, they unhappily departed because they asked for money from the old couple. Last Spring Festival, they did not even show up. Today, somehow, they suddenly came.
If one wants to enter the Li’s courtyard, he has to go through the clinic. When they entered, Li Cheng saw the debris was all over the house and he said, “Dad, what’s the matter? Why the clinic has been smashed?”
Before Li Qingshan could speak, Li Cai, the second son, said, “It was good. It happened that the house was going to be moved and it simplified matters.”
Li Qingshan was sitting at one side and drinking tea. When he heard Li Cai’s words, he put the cup on the table and angrily said, “What are you talking about, beast!”
“That’s it. Our house is going to move. What’s the reason for keeping this broken clinic? It doesn’t make money anyway…”
Li Qingshan instantly became angry and said, “Little brute! Get out! Even if I’m going to die, I will die here. Let me see who dares to move my house.”
Li Cai still wanted to say something, but Zhao Haili, his wife, pulled him behind. “Your filthy mouth can’t water decent language. Once you open your mouth, you will make our father angry.”
Zhao Haili scolded Li Cai and said to Li Qingshan with a flattering expression, “Dad, Li Cai’s filthy mouth can’t speak decent words. Don’t be angry.”
Seeing Zhao Haili’s flattering expression, Qin Haodong was quite surprised. This woman had always been bitter and harsh. She never put her father-in-law in her eyes. In the past, she was always instigated Li Cai to argue with his father. How did she suddenly become sensible today?
Qin Haodong would never believe that Zhao Haili suddenly changed her bad character. As the saying goes, a fox may turn gray, but never kind. That was the nature of this woman, and it was not going to be better in her life. Now as she suddenly came to please Li Qingshan, she must have something to ask for. Otherwise, it was impossible to do so.
Li Cheng, the eldest son, also said, “Yes, Dad, I and brother don’t come back very often. It was a rare meeting for us. Don’t be angry.”
After all, they were Li Qingshan’s sons. After listening to them, Li Qingshan’s expression became tender.
“Just say, what do you want to do?”
Zhang Feng said, “Dad, what are you talking about? We are your sons and daughters-in-law. It is fit that we come back to visit you.”
Zuo Lanzhi said, “Okay, your father and I are old, but they are still not confused. You won’t come if you don’t want to ask for something. Say it frankly.”
Li Cheng smiled and moved a small bench to sit in front of Li Qingshan. “Dad, Mom. In this case, let me talk to you straightly. I do want to discuss something with you as I come back with my brother today.”
Li Qingshan looked at him, then looked at Li Cai, and said with a sneer, “What do you want from me? Money again?”
Zhang Feng said, “Dad, what are you talking about? It’s not easy for you to make the money. How can we always ask you for it?”
Qin Haodong became more surprised. He clearly knew the four people’s characters in the past. They often quarreled with the old couple for money. It’s not normal that they changed their characters together. There must be a bigger plan.
Li Cheng said, “Well, my son, your grandson, is 28 years old this year. He got a girlfriend a few days ago. They are going to get married. Now they need a house.
It will take almost 500,000 yuan to buy a house of about one hundred square meters in Wufeng County. As you know, we can’t afford it at all. But it’s really hard to get the consent of the woman without a house.”
Just after he finished, Zhao Haili noticed Li Cai. Li Cai said quickly, “Dad, your second grandson Donghai graduated from university this year and found a job in the downtown area of Jiangnan City. He’s not young at this year. He should find a girlfriend, but he can’t find anyone without a house in Jiangnan City.
Although the child is very capable, but he just gained the work and has no savings. The down payment for the house should still be paid by us. The house price in Jiangnan City is more expensive than that in our county. The down payment needs 500,000 yuan.”
As he said this, Li Qingshan snorted, “You still come here to ask for money. I tell you, I help you to marry your wives and bought houses. I’ve done my duty as a father. As for your son, you can deal with it by yourselves. I have no money.”
Li Cheng said, “We also know that you don’t have so much money, but we inquired about that our house will be moved. I have a friend in Tianbao Real Estate. He told me that our courtyard is in a good location and convers a large area. As long as you agree, he can immediately transfer one million yuan into our account.
With this one million yuan, my brother and I can have respectively 500,000 yuan, and your two grandsons’ problems would be solved.”
Qin Haodong suddenly dawned at this moment. No wonder these four people looked like different individuals today. They originally came to the house of the old man.
Li Shulan had never spoken just now, but she could not help saying, “This house belongs to my parents. If you take all the money away after the relocation, where do you want them to live? Street?”
Li Cheng said, “Of course not. My brother and I have already discussed it. When the house is moved, we three will rent an apartment for our parents. Anyway, they only have two people. They don’t need a big room. A room of twenty or thirty square meters is enough.”
Li Cai followed and said, “Yes, my parents have a pension. They have more than 2,000 yuan in total. There’s no problem of their basic life.”
Li Shulan said, “You two really have a good plan. Why can you take all the money away by selling your parents’ house, and then let us rent an apartment?”
Li Cheng said, “What? Don’t you willing to do it? You usually pretend to be filial, now you are not willing to provide for the aged?”
Li Cai said, “I know you are envious that we brothers inherit this property. Let me tell you, our surname is Li, the son of Li’s family. You have a different surname, and all property should be inherited by his son. It has nothing to do with a woman. So you can just give up of it.”
Zhao Haili said with meanness, “I thought that you and your daughter always stay here because you are really filial. Now it turns out that you want this house. But we were right, your plan is uselessly. This house is ours.”
Li Shulan trembled when she saw her brother say this, “When did I pretend to be filial? Our parents raise us, I could not do that kind of unconscious thing. I never thought about this house, but I will provide for them. I will not rent an apartment. I can take them to my house.”
Li Cheng said, “That’s what you said. Don’t ask us for rent then.”